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Global Training Initiative
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3+X Master’s Degrees

Expedite Your Degree

The 3+X Master’s Program is a cooperative program between certain schools in China with NC State University. Select students from these universities enroll in graduate-level NC State courses during the fall semester which also counts towards the completion of their undergraduate degree.

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FAQs
Download checklist (PDF)
  • Calculate the estimated cost of attendance of an academic year for “out-of-state” students. A semester is half the amount.
  • Application Fee: $85 paid at the time an application is submitted (non-refundable and non-transferable).
  • GTI Administration Fee: $500 paid during the semester at NC State (billed to your student account).
  • The U.S. government charges visa and SEVIS fees.
  • March 1: Deadline to submit complete online Graduate School application with an intended entry term of the Fall semester. The earlier the application is submitted, the better.
    • Applicants must have at least a 3.0 undergraduate GPA to be eligible to apply.
    • Contact the International Admissions Manager after submitting the application to make sure it is processed appropriately.
  • March-April: Preliminary admissions decisions are made by NC State graduate programs and GTI.
    • If preliminarily admitted, applicants are asked to complete the GTI 3+X Certificate of Financial Responsibility proving their financial ability to fund studies.
    • An I-20 visa document will then be issued allowing students to apply for the F-1 student visa.
  • May: Attend visa interview. Arrange for housing accommodations in Raleigh.
  • Note: Students from Shanghai Jiao Tong University may have a different timeline. Consult the MOU page or the deadlines document for your program.

Students should submit an application for the master’s degree they are interested in, then contact the International Admissions Manager at hdharden@ncsu.edu to inform of 3+X interest. There is no separate 3+X application.

  • Academic Transcripts/Records: submit your most recent school transcript(s) in English or with English translations.
  • Recommendations: submit three (3)
  • Personal Statement
  • Resume of CV
  • GRE scores waived for 3+X
  • English language scores:
    • Score requirements for 3+X:
      CET 6: 480
      TOEFL: 75 total points
      IELTS: 6
      Duolingo: 100
    • Score requirements for Master’s:
      TOEFL: 80 total points with at least 18 in each section
      IELTS: 6.5 overall with at least 6.5 in each section
      Duolingo: 110
  • Submit Proof of Financial Support: participants must show they have enough money to cover the costs of tuition, books, and living expenses. See the estimated cost of attendance for an academic year. You must also factor in additional money for the cost of student health insurance (usually around $1500 a semester).
  • Submit a bank statement in English that:
    • is an official statement from the bank (on bank letterhead, stamped by the bank, or a printout of an online statement)
    • states the amount of money currently in the bank account
    • clearly states the name of the account holder
  • Submit Letter of Support: students also need a letter of support if the bank statement is not in the applicant’s name or if the student’s expenses are covered by a company, institution, or other sponsors.
  • Health Insurance: State law requires students to have health insurance while studying at NC State. Program participants can enroll in the university’s UNC System Student Health Insurance Plan. The cost of health insurance can be found on Campus Health’s website.
  • Bio Page in Passport: a copy of the biographical page of your passport is required (see example). The information should match your application.
  • NC State Global Training Initiative (GTI)
    David McNeill, david_mcneill@ncsu.edu
  • NC State Graduate School
    Hayley Hardenbrook, hdharden@ncsu.edu
  • Zhejiang University
    Ms. Chen Feng, chenfeng@zju.edu.cn
  • Jiangnan University
    Dr. Xu Changhai, changhai_xu@jiangnan.edu.cn
  • DHU Fashion Institute
    Chen “Albert” Mengmeng, chenmengmeng8@163.com
  • Donghua University (Textiles)
    Jiahao Qiu, qiujiahao@dhu.edu.cn
  • National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU)
    Mavis Tseng, tsmi@nycu.edu.tw
  • Zhejiang Sci-Tech University
    Junjun Chen, chenjunjun_hz@126.com
  • South China Normal University
    Zhibin He (何智斌), hezhibin@m.scnu.edu.cn
  • Nanjing Normal University
    Dr. Wenjun Cai (蔡文君), caiwenjun@njnu.edu.cn
  • Central South University
    Ms. Jiajia Gong,  gongjiajia@csu.edu.cn
  • Shanghai Jiao Tong University
    Viva Du, viva.du@sjtu.edu.cn
Mr. and Ms. Wuf in front of the red belltower.

NC State Checklist

Topics to review before arriving on campus

Welcome to the Wolfpack

After being accepted into the 3+X program, students receive a visa certificate (I-20) and instructions for applying for an F-1 visa. Visit the Office of International Services’ website for more details. New students typically arrive about a week before classes start in the fall for OIS’ required international student orientation.

We are excited to have you join the Wolfpack family. With more than 34,000 students and nearly 8,000 faculty and staff, NC State is a comprehensive university that’s globally recognized for its leadership in education and research.

The GTI will help you transition to life in the United States and provide opportunities to get engaged at NC State. There is key information and steps an admitted student needs to take after acceptance to the program.

Campus ID: the nine-digit numeral shown on the Wolfpack One Card (ex. 200123456)
Wolfpack One ID Card: used to access a variety of services on campus. Always carry it with you! You can get your ID card at the Wolfpack One office in the Talley Student Union (Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) You MUST bring your passport. There is a $20 fee for replacement cards.
Unity ID: six characters long, comprised of initials from your name and may also contain numbers (ex. jsmith3).
Default Temporary Password: last 4 digits of Campus ID + birth month and day (ex. July 4 = 0704). Once you receive your default information, you are ONLY able to set up your security questions and change your password.
Forgotten Passwords: If you forget your password, you can reset it to the default if you have already set up your security questions. Otherwise, you’ll need to contact the Help Desk at help@ncsu.edu.

Students who are new to the Raleigh campus will need to submit a copy of their medical history and immunization records. Campus Health’s website has more information on this process. Do not email any of these records to the GTI.

  • All students must complete their Health History form, the Tuberculosis Questionnaire, and submit copies of their immunization records (translated into English) online via HealthyPack Portal.
  • North Carolina law requires that you submit proof of your immunizations to Campus Healthbefore arriving on campus:
  • Some students may also be required to complete a Tuberculosis screening when they first arrive on campus.
  • Students who do not complete their health records requirements will be dropped from all registered courses and lose access to NC State facilities and services. There’s a $150 reinstatement fee if you choose to resolve these issues after your student account has been suspended.

MyPack Portal is a student self-service system through which students may change personal or academic information as well as semester schedules from any computer with internet access.

  • Contact your departmental advisor to discuss what courses to take and how to enroll in the classes if there are prerequisites or other restrictions.
  • Search our course catalog for classes you would like to register for each semester.
  • Maintain a minimum of 12 credit hours at all times (undergraduates) or a minimum of 9 credit hours (graduates).
  • You will automatically be enrolled in the GTI 401 course, so make sure your other courses do not conflict with that schedule.
  • You can also edit/access your student information and update your address in MyPack.
Fall Semester at NC State Timeline
Mid-AugustArrive at NC State University for the Fall GTI semester. Orientation usually takes place one week prior to the start of classes. Pay tuition bill. During this semester, students enroll in GTI 401, three (3) degree courses and English language courses, if necessary.
October15Deadline to submit any application materials required for master’s degree application (such as new English language scores or GRE scores, if necessary), AND official/original transcripts from university. A six or seven semester transcript is acceptable if that is all that is currently available. Begin preparing financial documents to submit to the Graduate School for I-20 visa document for master’s program.
December1Deadline to submit new financial documents for I-20 extension to the Master’s program.
December10Deadline to receive confirmation from home University that student met the requirements to complete and receive bachelor’s degree. If GTI semester is successfully completed, applicants will be evaluated for admission to master’s program. If admitted, new I-20 will be issued allowing student to remain in U.S. for duration of master’s degree program.adline to receive confirmation from your home University that you have met the requirements to complete and receive your bachelor’s degree.
These deadlines and important dates are subject to change. It is important to maintain constant contact with the Graduate School, your degree program and the GTI program for updates. Note: failure to meet these deadlines may result in a denial of admission to Graduate School or not receiving a graduate degree from NC State.